Vol. 496 No. 6
238 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the environmental damage being done under the REP scheme to internal field and roadside hedges which must be cut down to a height of four or five feet with a solitary sapling left standing every 50 metres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23862/98]
Measure 5 of the REP scheme on the maintenance of farm and field boundaries sets out the objectives to be achieved with regard to hedgerows. Among the objectives is the management of hedgerows, including the inplanting of suitable hedgerow species, to encourage their development with a diversity of height, stages of growth and form in the interests of wildlife, stock control and scenic appearance.
The specifications do not require the cutting of hedgerows. However, where this takes place the methodology is specified. A management option is to leave the hedge undisturbed.
In order to avoid the possibility of any misunderstanding in this issue my Department has been examining its operation and will be issuing revised specifications to make it clearer that hedgerows can be maintained in their present state, height, width and uncut-untrimmed where such hedgerows are of good quality.
Farmers will be encouraged to retain hedgerows and confine maintenace to essential practices such as stockproofing, inplanting with suitable species and the control of invasive species.
